Team Nutrition is a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that has available to childcare settings a variety of helpful resources. Information on meal planning and recipes, nutrition education, and food safety are available for early care and education professionals. There are also games and posters for young children. Much of the information is available by download from the Team Nutrition website.

Handwashing resources include games, activities, signs and posters for young children, and an instructional video and brochures for caregivers and parents. Includes a laminated mini-poster with handwashing tips, printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other.

Team Nutrition’s food safety resources include fruit and vegetable games and activities for children. You will find general food safety information and resources, including inspection forms, fact sheets, cooking temperatures, and more with online slides, videos, posters and images. Recipes and meal planning resources have recipes and activities for use by children as well as many recipes suitable for use in the childcare setting.

Keeping Kids Safe--A Guide for Safe Food Handling and Sanitation for Childcare Providers is a booklet designed for childcare providers as a quick and easy reference for food safety and sanitation. Each page is designed to be reproduced and can be used as a handout in training, included in a newsletter for staff or parents, or posted on the wall as a daily reminder.

Childcare Centers Fight Bac! Includes a Fight Bac! poster specifically designed for childcare centers, as well as food safety games and activities and is available in English and Spanish.

Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals is a reference booklet on food safety and sanitation for childcare providers.

Menus for Childcare includes eight complete weekly menus, including breakfast, lunch or supper, and snack meeting the Meal Pattern requirements for 3-5 year olds. Portion sizes can be adjusted for other age groups. The menus have been analyzed for major nutrients, and the analysis provided.

Menu Magic for Children provides information on the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Meal Pattern requirements, serving quality meals and snacks, and tips on menu planning and grocery shopping. It contains a set of eight tear-out recipe cards with a storage pocket in the back of the booklet.

RESOURCES

U.S.D.A.’s Team Nutrition, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 632, Alexandria, VA 22302, 703-305-1624, healthymeals.nal.usda.gov